Best Hairstyles for Men in 2017

There are tons of different men’s hairstyles to choose from, going back to the beginning of civilized society, but not all of them are currently in style.

While it’s somewhat true that styles go in and out of favor in cycles, it can be difficult to know which styles are currently popular. In order to make the process of deciding easier, it’s a good idea to just check out a bunch of men’s haircuts and decide which you like best and want to try.

Sound good? Great! Read on so you don’t end up like this guy:

How to Choose a Hairstyle

First, consider how conservative you want your haircut to be. That is, when choosing a hairstyle, you will want to consider the environment you are going to be in most of the time. It may help to think about the primary reason you want to get a new hairstyle. Is it to impress a potential romantic partner? Is it to look more professional at your new job? The answers to these questions are important.

For example, the hairstyle you go with in attempt to attract women is probably going to be different from the style you go with to impress your colleagues or business associates. Am I right?

Essentially this decision is how conservative you want to be — whether you want to get a tried-and-true cut, like a crew cut, or something a little more adventurous, like the newly-popular slicked back undercut.

You may also want to consider your face shape, as your face shape is going to have a major influence on how good your hairstyle looks. Basically, you want your hair to enhance your face, by playing into its natural shape, and not just going with any style you fancy and therefore potentially making you look like a potato.

Okay! With all that in mind, what are some of the top haircuts for men nowadays? Let’s find out.

Here are some of the best hairstyles for men:

10 of the Best Men’s Hairstyles

1. Slicked Back Undercut

This haircut has been catapulted into stardom thanks in part because of Hollywood — Brad Pitt’s haircut in the movie Fury was a slicked back undercut.

While formerly only seen on so-called “hipsters”, this attractive cut (and variations of this) is becoming one of the most popular haircuts for guys nowadays.

The important aspect of this haircut is the clean “disconnection” between the sides and the top hair. Some hair stylists will try to fade the sides and back, but to do the slickback undercut properly it should be even length.

Speaking of length, the top hair will need to be at least 4-5 inches to stay slicked back properly. Another element to this is to find a good pomade. (For help finding a pomade that will work and hold your hair in place, check out our list of the best pomades.)

2. Buzz Cut

Certainly nothing revolutionary, the buzz cut is a classic look that can help men look more masculine.

A buzz cut is a haircut that has the hair extremely short all the way around, either at an even length or tapered. This cut is accomplished by using hair clippers — make sure you have a good pair of clippers if you’re doing it yourself. It’ll save you a lot of trouble. If you can afford the slight increase in price, and you plan on buzzing often, try to get some professional hair clippers. They’ll last much longer and will do the job cleaner and more quickly.

3. Side Part

Another classic look, the side part hairstyle can work great in many situations, including in business and other more formal settings, which isn’t the case for some of the other modern men’s hairstyles.

Another example of this nice cut is the image at the top of this article. Again, it looks great and can work in a wide-variety of situations, from casual to formal, and therefore is a very versatile haircut and an excellent choice for any guy looking for a new hairstyle.

4. High and Tight Fade

Ah, yes, the high and tight fade. This haircut has evolved from the classic “military cut” that you see. The difference with the modified version, of course, is that the hair length on top need not be short also. This allows quite a bit of variation among this type of haircut.

While to some it can look similar to the slicked back undercut, particularly when the hair on top is longer, the high and tight fade is inherently different. For one, there is no disconnection of the sides and back from the top hair. In addition, the sides and back are faded, meaning the hair starts extremely short at the bottom and gradually gets longer as it approaches the top hair.

5. Modern Pompadour

The Pompadour was first made famous by Elvis Presley. The Modern Pompadour is a modified version of the original, of course, but it can be just as epic. The main feature is a high volume brushed-back wave on top — the modern way of styling this cut is to give it a “messy” look.

There are so many variations to this cut, the sides can be either long or short or somewhere in between and still look great. It can be as carefully styled (like the original “Elvis” Pompadour) or as casually messy (the “modern” pompadour) as you’d like it to be. It’s really just a matter of taste.

Try it out!

6. Long Hair

Long hair on a man is certainly nothing new. It was huge in the 60s and 70s, then went out of style hard for a while, and it has slowly been coming back in style over the last few years.

It’s a style that takes a long time to appreciate (you have to go through the “awkward length” period, after all), and it takes quite a bit of work to maintain, but when done right it’s an incredible look for guys. Not everyone can pull off, however, so considering this and the work/time investment, tread carefully and make sure you really want it.

7. Crew Cut

The crew cut is one of the most popular hairstyles for men. Tons of guys have this style of haircut without even realizing it. Perhaps this is because it has a very “natural” look and is low maintenance.

Another classic men’s haircut, the crew cut has been around for a long time, and probably won’t disappear any time soon. It’s a relatively short cut all over but has hair long enough at the top-front that it rises in a sort of low pompadour, and gets gradually shorter approaching the crown. There are many variations of the crew cut, such as the ivy league or the flat top.

8. Quiff

The quiff has been around a long time, first appearing in the early 1950s in London. For this style there’s a voluminous amount of hair at the front-top of the head, which then gradually gets shorter moving toward the crown. The sides and back are typically on the short side, but can also be longer.

This hairstyle in particular seems to come and go with different generations. A modern version of the quiff is currently in style, experiencing a massive resurgence lately among guys.

9. Man Bun

Don’t laugh. This is serious — sure, the man bun gets a lot of flack. And it’s basically just a way of wearing/styling long hair, but we thought it deserved its own spot on this list because of its increasing popularity among long-haired gentlemen.

Sharp, right? It’s quite a bold statement for a man. It exudes confidence. Think you have what it takes to pull it off? Give it a try!

10. Fauxhawk

The final hairstyle on our list is a very recognizable style, perhaps because it’s a variation of a mohawk. The fauxhawk is similar to a mohawk in that there is a noticeable spike in the middle, though often it’s not anywhere near as extreme as in a traditional mohawk. In addition to this, with a fauxhawk the sides are not shaved. However, the sides are usually shorter in length to really highlight the peak in the middle.

It is nearly indistinguishable from another mohawk variant, the euro-hawk, which is often seen on European celebrities.

Final Thoughts on Getting a New Haircut

It should be pretty clear that many of these hairstyles share similarities with each other. Many modern-day hairstyles go for that laid-back, “messy” look that attempts to look quickly thrown together. But the type of haircut you get really depends on your hair and your personal preferences. Get the kind of cut that you like — the one that makes you feel good about yourself.

I know it can seem like a big decision sometimes, especially if you’re really trying to make a great first impression with people (which good hair can often do), but it’s really not a big deal. Try a hairstyle you like and see if it works for you — if you try it and decide you don’t like the look on you, just try something else until you find your look.

Hopefully these hairstyle ideas for men have sparked some inspiration for your next cut. While you’re at it, add some new cologne to your repertoire and you’re bound to be an instant hit and attract whomever you want.